NGRK505LiteraryContext
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Liberty University *
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Course
505
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
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1
Uploaded by KidHeat16144
F. Scott Kearse
NGRK505
November 5, 2023
Romans is a multifaceted epistle. While it is both didactic and an exhortation, it is also
Paul’s major theological argument governing Christianity. Throughout this argument, Paul
presents his theological lynchpin of salvation sanctioned by righteousness. The beginning of his
argument focuses on righteousness and how it is gained through faith. Paul then stresses the
urgency of this righteousness, exhorting his audience to avoid God’s judgment by submitting to
faith. Paul further explains that God’s judgment is righteous, unavoidable, and severe... unless
one is justified by/through faith in Jesus. The beginning of the letter leads to the theological
argument, culminating in a diatribe of reasons explaining why no one is righteous.
After the passage under study, Paul employs the example of Abraham to show
righteousness by faith, explaining the promise God gives to the righteous and why God chose to
act among men to save them from their own, willful sinfulness. This further signifies God’s own
righteousness and the power of Jesus’ sacrifice and perfection. He died so we could be
reconciled to God because we are powerless to attain such lofty ambitions on our own. All that is
asked in return is that we believe, repent of our willful sin, and strive for the righteous example
of Jesus. Paul then explains the new life in Christ and that gain of God’s love and glory for
ourselves by gratefully accepting Jesus’ selfless gift
He finishes with a flourish of exhortation to urgently accept this gift, nurture this gift,
and share this gift with others so that they can also receive this amazing gift, using Israel as an
example of those who foolishly reject this gift and lose the inheritance of the kingdom by
refusing to nurture the gift and rebuking God’s righteousness for their own ways. In this final
exhortation, Paul gives the example of squandering an amazing chance, while also giving final
hope because the power of the gift is so great that even after such rejection, Jesus freely allows
you the chance to still be worthy if you will just have faith.
Romans 3:21-26, while appearing early in the letter, is the crux of Paul’s argument of the
letter. Written to Roman believers to exhort them to faithfully follow Jesus, this letter clearly
establishes that it is of no concern whether Jew, Roman, or any other gentile... Jesus provides
redemptive grace for all. Paul’s big idea in Romans is that the righteous “earn” the righteousness
of God and avoid His wrath merely by justifying such righteousness through redemption, coming
only through faith in Jesus Christ and His benevolent atonement for all sinners. And... we are all
sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Through His selfless act (in sacrificing His own glory)
we are redeemed and held righteous by God, which proves God’s own righteousness through His
forbearance of our sin without us really earning such mercy. The letter flows like a closing
argument of a trial, making the passage under study the gotcha moment.
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